Tales From the Breach is an upcoming collaborative effort by Enkelli Arn Robertson and myself. We are almost done fleshing out the background of the setting, and are starting to write some fiction.

What is Dieselpunk?

According to Wikipedia: “Dieselpunk is a genre similar to steampunk that combines the aesthetics of the diesel-based technology of the interwar period through to the 1950s with retro-futuristic technology and postmodern sensibilities.”

Public Domain image, 1941

Combining the World War II aesthetic of dieselpunk with traditional high fantasy elements and an original setting, we hope to create a unique and enjoyable experience. There will also be some horror elements inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft.

In designing the setting, which we have named Verden, we saw two avenues to approach the overall look and feel of the project. One direction would be the “art deco” approach, with artistic styling and the optimistic futurism of this period. The other would be the “grimdark” approach, where everything is gritty and grim. We have settled on endeavoring to create a fusion of the two, and have decided to call it “GrimDeco”.

Public Domain image, ca. 1940’s

One special aspect that we hope will bring a new twist to the genre is the application of a magic system with a pseudo-scientific rationale. This, more than anything, is at the core of the project. The Merlin Project, itself, is actually an analogy to The Manhatten Project of our own history. Instead of developing atomic weapons, this project is researching something with much more vast potential for the future of Verden. A document leaked from The Merlin Project below explains what this may entail.

Below is a collection of teasers for some of the stories that will be in